1. Field of the Invention
Combined tree shaker and fruit and nut harvester.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The present invention is an improvement of the combined tree shaker and fruit harvester disclosed and claimed in U.S. Letters Pat. No. 3,683,617 that issued to the present application Rolando M. Vallicella 15, 1972.
The present tree shaker and harvester has the operational advantages over the device disclosed and claimed in the above identified patent, in that, the present invention the shakers may be laterally separated a far greater distance than possible with those in the prior device, and as a result a minimum of accuracy is required in transversely aligning the present invention with the trunk of a tree prior to the shakers being placed in gripping contact with the tree trunk thereof. Also, the present invention permits the shakers to be moved transversely as well as downwardly relative to the chassis of the harvester, and as a result, the shakers may be extended under low hanging branches to engage the trunk of a tree which would not be possible with applicant's prior tree shaker and harvester.
The present invention also includes a novel pivotal support for the expandable deflector means, which deflector means in combination with a fixed deflector provide the surface on which the harvested nuts or fruit fall. The expandable deflector means in the present invention are expanded after they have been disposed under the low hanging branches of a tree, with the expanding operation being accompanied by pivotal movement of two sets of supports for two sheets of pliable material, and this pivotal movement occurring as the supports of the two sets move towards one another.
The primary object in devising the present invention is to supply a combined tree shaker and fruit and nut harvester that is succeptible to numerous modifications, and to provide one that is particularly adapted to use in the harvesting of fruit and nuts from trees having low hanging branches.